Amid ongoing investigations, foreign vessel docks at jetty – speculation abounds
The foreign vessel ‘CNC Uranus’ has docked at Jetty No. 11 of the General Cargo Berth (GCB) at Chattogram Port. Agamir Somoy.
Two government agencies are investigating the foreign container vessel 'CNC Uranus', which met with an accident due to a malfunctioning steering gear alarm system. While the investigation is underway, the port authority allowed the vessel to enter the jetty on Saturday morning with special security arrangements, following a request from the shipping line concerned.
The set practice is for a vessel to remain at the outer anchorage until the investigation is concluded. Ignoring that norm, the decision to bring the vessel to the jetty has sparked widespread speculation. The port's marine division is reportedly quite dissatisfied with this move.
Port users have alleged that despite the irregularity of concealing information and putting the port at risk, no legal action has been taken against the foreign shipping line CMA-CGM, and the vessel was still allowed to dock. They suspect that influence was deployed to berth the vessel. Discussions are ongoing on tentative compromise under which the vessel was allowed to dock.
However, the port authority claims that the step was taken to ensure that the 1,282 import-laden containers on board could be delivered to businesses quickly. The vessel was originally scheduled to dock on August 3. Despite having a report about the malfunctioning steering gear alarm system, the shipping line CMA-CGM allegedly concealed that information and attempted to bring the vessel to the jetty. Later, while entering the port channel, the vessel lost control, first colliding with a red buoy, then drifting and running aground against a retaining wall far from the river estuary, becoming inoperative. After the accident, with assistance from the port authority, a local salvage company, the Navy, and the Coast Guard, the vessel was towed back to the Bravo Anchorage at the outer anchorage after 12 hours of effort.
The following day, Tuesday, the shipping line applied to the port to bring the vessel to the jetty. The port sent three pilots. Upon boarding, the pilots identified several defects. When they requested the vessel's latest survey report, the captain initially refused to provide it. After stern warnings from the port pilots, the report was produced. The pilots saw in the report that on July 30, before the vessel departed from Singapore, the international survey company DNV had identified several defects, including a malfunctioning steering gear alarm system. There was an instruction to inform the pilot before entering Chittagong Port. However, the captain and the shipping line had concealed that report and attempted to enter the jetty. After seeing this, the three pilots returned from the vessel, leaving it at the outer anchorage.
Subsequently, the port authority and the Department of Shipping formed two separate investigation committees. The investigation is currently ongoing. In the meantime, the shipping line CMA-CGM applied again, stating that the vessel's defects had been repaired and that there was no obstacle to docking. As soon as the letter had been received before the investigation reports came in, the port gave permission to berth the vessel. And this is where the speculation, including allegations of a compromise, has arisen.
